Process of making wooden wheel-hubs



F. H. BEACH.

PROCESS OF MAKING WOODEN WHEEL HUBS.

FILED APPL CAT 0 1 RENEWE AUG-1,1919- 1',335,039. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

rannnnrcx n. BEACH, or BATAVIA, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF MAKING WOODEN WI-IEEL-HUBS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Application filed August 7, 1918, Serial No. 248,688. Renewed August 1, 1919. Serial No. 314,731.

To aZZ whom it may concern,-

Be it knownthat I, FREDERICK H. BEACH, a citizen of the United States, with residence and post-oflice address at Batavia, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Making Wooden Wheel-Hubs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improvedmethod of manufacture and production of wooden Wheel hubs composed of a multiplicity of wooden sectors. It consists in the several steps of the process hereinafter described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an axial section of a wheel hub which may be manufactured according to this invention. I

Fig. 2 is an axial section of said hub in the process of manufacture shown in the grasp of followers for forcing; onto it the clamping sleeves.

3 is a section at the line, 3-3, on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a block from which the sectors forming the hub are made. 1

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sectors finished to the form in which the scctors are assembled for beingclamped and cemented together as shown in Fig. 2.

The wheel hub shown in the drawing is composed of a multiplicity of wooden sectors each. of comparatively small angle, and so cut from the original block or plank that the grain of the wood is oblique both to the hub axis and to the radial face of the sector, and the grain at the contiguous faces of adjacent sectors is divergent at different angles from longitudinal direction and from said faces, respectively. The several sectors of such a hub are to be cemented together, and for the purpose of being thus cemented it is necessary that they should be very strongly compressed together before the coment is set or hardens. Any convenient means being employed for assembling the sectors together, their retention in compressed relation While the cement is setting is effected by encompassing sleeves and a particular mode of applying the same, permanent end ferrules shrunken onto the hubs being employed for preventing subsequent separation.

It has been attempted in various ways to apply pressure to force the several sectors simultaneously toward the axis, and so to force them into perfect relation with each other before the cement is set. Certain methods which have been employed, such, for example, as applying; the encompassing bands of metal provided with means for clamping them about the group of sectors by drawing the ends of the bands together, are lacking in effectiveness for different causes; principally because it is found impossible by such means to apply equal radial pressure to all the sectors; and further, as to the specific method mentioned, because the friction of the clamp upon the wood prevents perfect eoual distribution of the clainp'inp, strain throughout the band itself; and. hence, after the clamp is secured, the gradual reaction which occurs in the re-distribution of the strain results in a relaxation of the clamp. Other methods, as the provi sion of radial devices such as plungers forcing all the sectors inward radially, and condensing the group for receiving the clamp applied to them in their resulting; position, is open to the obvious objection that the clamp itself is not under the initial strain corresponding to that by which. the sectors are forced together and more or less compressed, and conseouently said clamp yields to the reaction of the wood after the clamp is applied. leaving; the group of sectors less strongly pressed. tooiethen while the cement is setting. These defects and others which have been found in all previous processes with which I am familiar, are obviated bv the process which I have employed. which consists in grouping about an axis in a proper temporary retainer, such as metal strap or hand. A, the full number of sectors for a hub. each having; its opposite end por tions provided with a sloping shoulder as shown at b, and forcing onto said opposite shoulders of the group correspondingly tapered metal sleeves, O, C, in which process the tapered shoulders of the sectors encountering the correspondingly tapered sleeves,

are radially forced together as the ferrules advance along said shoulders. For thus forcing the tapered sleeves onto the tapered shoulders caps, D, of suitable diameter to pass freely over the ends of the hubs and reach the outer'ends of the collars,- C, are carried in opposed heads (not shown) of any'form of mechanical press, so that the resistance against which each sleeve is driven along the tapered shoulder is the resistance of the other sleeve in its progress along the other shoulders; which practically insures the equal stress of the two sleeves,that is,

causes them to apply equal radial compression on the two ends of the group ofsectors comprising the hub. It also obviously results that in the process of reaching its seat,

each sleeve has been exposed to an amount of stress equal to the compression stress to which the wood of the sectors is exposed in the same process; so that the condition of rigid clanipingcontinues without relaxation while the cement becomes set.

The sleeves, C, are left'on the hub until the cement is thoroughly set. On removing the sleeves, the hub is finished to form, in a lathe, and permanent end ferrules, E, are

applied. These ferrules, E, are made of inner diameter adapting them to be easily driven onto the seats prepared for them on the'ends of the hub; and the ferrules are then shrunken onto the seats by radial pres sure applied simultaneously through a multiplicity of radial arms, in a manner which nently securing together the sectors of a multiple-sector wheel hub, which consists in grouping about an axis the full number of sectors for a hub having tapered shoulders back of their opposite ends, and their radial faces cement-coated, and applying to said tapered shoulders correspondingly tapered sleeves, and forcing said sleeves simultaneously from opposite directions onto said oppositely-tapered shoulders of the group.

2. The method of assembling and permanently securing together the sectors of a multiple-sector wheel hub, which consists in grouping about an axis the full number of sectors for a hub having tapered shoulders back of their opposite ends and their radial faces cement-coated; applying to the tapered shoulders correspondingly tapered sleeves; forcingsaid sleeves simultaneously fron'i opposite directions onto the opposite shoulders; finishing the wheel hub to form with end seats for permanent ferrules, and applying such permanent ferrules and shrinking the same onto said seats by radial pressure applied simultaneously all around the ferrules.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois. this 15th day of June, 1918.

FREDERICK H. BEACH. 

